I was not sure where to write this so that the wonderful people of the Caymans would have an opportunity to see it, so I am taking a chance that this may be an appropriate place.
My husband and I decided months ago to book a trip to Cayman Brac with our dive club (Gorman Dive Adventures) in celebration of our 30th wedding anniversary.
We were looking forward to our first vacation and dive trip in four years. Little did we know that a fellow named Dean would interfere!
We arrived on Cayman Brac via Grand Cayman on Cayman Airways on the evening of 16 August. As so often happens, the process of travelling, in and of itself, can foretell your experience.
From the moment we boarded the aircraft in Houston, we felt so welcome!
Everyone was as kind as could be, from the flight crew to the immigration staff at the airport. We stayed at Brac Reef Beach Resort, where Trudy Viers and her staff were so accommodating and welcoming.
We were looking forward, with mild apprehension, to our dives the following day. By the morning of the 17th, Dean was increasing in strength and intensity. We learned that it would likely be our only dive day and that our dives would be shortened to two vs. the three that were scheduled, just in case we would require evacuation, so as to off-gas the nitrogen.
That was a huge sign to me that the staff was more interested in our safety and were alert for dangerous circumstances.
By mid-day on the 17th, it was becoming apparent that we would need to entertain thoughts of evacuation.
That evening, members of our group began to telephone private charters to see if we could be flown back to mainland, US.
We were still trying to negotiate with several charters as of the following morning, when Trudy called us into a meeting wherein she announced that Cayman Airways was willing to send in extra flights to ferry us, first to Grand Cayman and then to Ft. Lauderdale.
We were speechless that a local company was willing to do what we weren’t able to get the US government or any of the US carriers to do: fly us back home!
In the afternoon of the 18th, Trudy arranged for us to be transported to the Cayman Brac airport for our flights.
We left BRBR without knowing if Trudy and her staff would find safe shelter from the onslaught of Dean. Each and every staff member at BRBR continued to take care of us just as though we were their family…and perhaps at the expense of their own well-being and families.
At the Cayman Brac airport, the ticket agent for Cayman Airways who helped us (I apologise for not having caught names) told us that she’d been on duty for almost 36 hours with only a two hour break in the middle of the night. She was absolutely wonderful as were the Immigration and safety officers at the airport.
When we reached Grand Cayman, it was quite chaotic at the airport.
Outside the building, there were throngs of people who didn’t have tickets to get off the island and were trying to purchase them.
Inside the terminal, there were seemingly thousands of souls, just trying to get back to their homes.
The patience and efficiency of the airport staff and, particularly, Cayman Airways in finding seats and getting people and their belongings back to their homes was amazing. The US government could have learned much from the Caymanians in dealing with the devastation of Hurricane Katrina a few years ago!
Most times, a vacation brings you memories of all the fun you had on your trip. Usually, as travellers, we aren’t particularly mindful of the pitfalls that can occur; those are scenarios you read about in newspapers and online and that happen to other people.
In this instance, I have to say when I think of the Caymans, I not only am impressed with the natural beauty of the landscapes and the wonderful diving, but I will always remember how caring and positive the Caymanians were; how they put our safety ahead of their own.
My husband and I are looking forward to a return to the Caymans at some point in the future in order to finish out our vacation and preserve the good times along with the adventure!
We are so pleased that the Caymans did not take a devastating blow from the hurricane and we hope that each of you is well and safe.
Karen and Charles Katz
NE Renton, Washington
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